Former UFC Fighter Suman Mokhtarian Murdered in Sydney
Former UFC fighter and MMA coach Suman Mokhtarian has died following a shooting that police are treating as a targeted attack in western Sydney. Mokhtarian, 33, was killed while walking in Riverstone around 6 pm on Wednesday. Emergency services attended Annaluke Street, where they found Mokhtarian with gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he died at the scene. Mokhtarian competed twice in UFC in 2018 and 2019 before turning to coaching. He played a pivotal role in the development of some of Australia’s top MMA prospects at Australian Top Team, alongside his brother Ashkan Mokhtarian. The police have established a crime scene and have initiated an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting.At approximately 6 pm, emergency services were called to Annaluke Street, Riverstone, following reports of shots fired. Officers from Riverstone Police Area Command attended and found a man with gunshot wounds. He was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics, but died at the scene. The man has not yet been formally identified. Shortly after, around 6:15 pm, emergency services were called to Riverstone Road, Riverstone, near Clark Street, following reports of a car fire. Firefighters extinguished the fire, but the vehicle was destroyed. Police have established a second crime scene and are investigating whether the two incidents are related. A Mokhtarian student, Jesse Swain, paid a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. “I haven’t been able to sleep tonight after hearing the news,” Swain wrote. “Suman believed in me more than I believed in myself, I owe him everything I’ve done in MMA. Anyone who knew him personally knows how passionate and encouraging he was and expected nothing but the best from you. He pushed me to heights I never thought I would reach at first, stopped me from quitting at the end of 2024 right before he gave me the professional opportunities and personally told me my potential in the game. I will make sure to fulfill that potential for him.” Mokhtarian was the target of a previous alleged assassination attempt outside the Australian Top Team gym in the suburb of Wentworthwille, Sydney, in February 2024.A man has died in a shooting in a public place in western Sydney today.
New South Wales Police Statement
